Conserving Musk Deer the Uses of Musk and Europe's Role in its Trade (pdf, 360 kb)

v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The following staff of the TRAFFIC Network are thanked for contributing information and reviewing the

text of the draft report: Tom De Meulenaer, Elizabeth Fleming, Judy Mills, Alexey Vaisman, Bobbie Jo

Kelso, Julie Gray and Steven Broad.  Caroline Raymakers, Anne Vanden Bloock, Natalia Dronova,

Martine Todisco, Jikkie Jonkman, Crawford Allan, Teresa Mulliken and Samuel Lee are also thanked for

providing help and information during the study.  Thanks are due to Stuart Chapman, WWF-UK and

Monika Borner, WWF Switzerland.  Above all, the author would like to thank Roland Melisch (WWF

Germany and TRAFFIC Europe-Germany) for his tireless support, numerous ideas and review work.

Without his support this report would not have been possible.

TRAFFIC is grateful to the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), Alison Rosser (IUCN/SSC

Wildlife Trade Programme), Dr Michael Green (IUCN/SSC Deer Specialist Group), Dr Jelden, Mr Sterz

and Dr Grimm (Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Bonn), Dr Dollinger and Mr Althaus (Office Vétérinaire

Fédéral, Bern), Dr André (Direction de la Nature et des Paysages, Paris), Mr Marx and Mr Weßel (Zollfah-

ndungsamt and Zollkriminalamt, Cologne), Mr Luquet (Direction Nationale du Renseignement et des

Enquêtes Douanières, France) and Mr Kurtz (Douanes Francaises, Brigade d‘Intervention de Saint-Avold,

France) for their valuable input during this study.

The market analysis benefited from the co-operation of many in the perfume and scent industry, the

pharmaceutical sector and those involved in the international trade in musk products.  Special thanks are

due to Mr Muermann (Vereinigung Deutscher Riechstoffhersteller e.V.), Mrs Huber (Industrieverband

Körperpflege und Waschmittel), Mrs Theurer (Biologische Heilmittel Heel GmbH), Dr Gerasch (Öko-Test),

Mrs Rügamer (Media Profil GmbH), Mohamed S. Almagdi (University of Hohenheim), Mr Bester and

Roland von Nieda.  

Mr P. Müller, Mr Nötzold, Mr F. Meyer and Mr B. Schneider, all at Leipzig Zoo, are thanked for providing

valuable information.

The company Drom Fragrances International, Baierbrunn, is thanked for providing pictures of perfumes,

as are Dr Dagmar Lange, Dr Michael Green, H.-W. Schuldei, F. Meyer, B. Schneider and Henry Mix for

providing photographic material of musk deer and musk products.

This study was made possible with the financial support provided by WWF-UK and TRAFFIC Europe and

logistical support from WWF Germany.

Volker Homes

Species Conservation Section

WWF Germany and TRAFFIC Europe-Germany

Umweltstiftung WWF Deutschland

Rebstöcker Straße 55

D 60326 Frankfurt, Germany

---

vi

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

There are at least four and possibly six or more species of musk deer Moschus spp.  To date, their

taxonomy has not been resolved conclusively and little is known about their biology.  Musk deer occur in

at least 13 countries in South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia and the eastern parts of Russia.  

All musk deer species have been included in the Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1979.  Populations of Siberian Musk Deer

Moschus moschiferus occurring in the countries of the Himalayan region (Afghanistan, Bhutan, India,

Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan) were included in Appendix I, although some experts consider these popula-

tions to be of Himalayan Musk Deer Moschus chryogaster and Black Musk Deer M. fuscus.  All other

musk deer species are listed in Appendix II.  Knowledge of their distribution is incomplete and the

population sizes of the different species are uncertain in several cases.  In many range countries, laws to

protect musk deer and their habitats exist, yet in practically all countries in Asia where musk deer occur,

wild populations are declining, mainly because of the high demand for musk.  China and Russia are the

countries inhabited by the largest numbers of musk deer.  The population size of musk deer in China is

approximately 600 000 individuals, but the basis for this figure is unclear.  Data on the sizes of musk deer

populations in Russia are in part contradictory.  According to various experts, musk deer populations in

Russia have fallen by around 50% in the last 10 years as a result of over-exploitation.  The causes of this

have been the difficult socio-economic conditions in Russia, which have prompted poaching and illegal

trading, leading in turn to uncontrolled hunting of the deer, in contrast to strict regulation of their

exploitation in the Soviet Union.

Traditionally, musk pods are harvested by killing the deer, although it is possible to obtain musk from a

live deer.  The high value of musk has often been an incentive for the illegal hunting of musk deer.  Only

male musk deer produce musk, at the rate of about 25 g of musk, per animal, per year.

In East and South Asia, musk has been used as an ingredient in medicine and as a perfume for about 5000

years.  Today it is contained in about 300 pharmaceutical preparations in traditional Chinese and Korean

medicine, as a sedative and a stimulant to treat a variety of ailments relating to the heart, nerves, breathing

and sexuality.  Today musk remains one of the most expensive natural products on the market, much more

valuable even than gold (gold price: US$10/g in August 1998).  End-consumers in the perfume industry of

Europe or on the trading markets in Japan face retail prices of about US$30-50/g.

The aim of this study is to summarise information on musk deer and musk itself as a background to

describing the international musk trade and the demand for musk, and to determine the significance of

Europe’s role in global trade.  It is part of a comprehensive international analysis of the trade in, and use

of, musk in medicine and in the perfume industry which TRAFFIC is conducting in a number of countries. 

A total of 35 countries were involved in the legal export of musk products during the period 1978-96,

according to CITES annual report data.  Musk deer occur in nine of these countries: the remaining 26

countries were re-exporters.  Over the same period, 42 countries imported musk and musk products. 

---